Kim Youngrok: "Kim Moonsoo and Han Deoksoo's Unification Is an Undemocratic Coup"

Governor Kim Denounces Candidate Unification as a "Mud Fight"
Criticizes: "Is the People Power Party Replacing Their Candidate with Someone Closer to Yoon Sukyeol?"
Also Assesses the Move as Lacking "Justification, Logic, Shame, and Strategy"

Kim Youngrok Jeonnam Governor

Kim Youngrok, Governor of Jeonnam Province, sharply criticized the unification process between Kim Moonsoo, the presidential candidate of the People Power Party, and Han Deoksoo, the independent preliminary presidential candidate, calling it a "mud fight."

On May 9, through his Facebook page, Governor Kim stated, "Han Deoksoo's unification fight, which lacks justification, logic, and shame, resembles a mud fight. There is no inspiration."

Governor Kim said, "Looking at the unification process between Kim Moonsoo of the People Power Party and Han Deoksoo as an independent candidate, it seems that an undemocratic internal coup to replace the candidate is still underway. Kim Moonsoo, who supports Yoon Sukyeol, the ringleader of the rebellion; Han Deoksoo, who is described as Yoon Sukyeol's avatar; and the leadership of the People Power Party, who are attempting to forcibly replace their own candidate?ultimately, this process appears to be nothing more than replacing the candidate with someone closer to Yoon Sukyeol rather than to the people."

He went on to say, "In particular, Han Deoksoo's unification proposal lacks justification, logic, shame, and strategy. As a former prime minister and presidential candidate, he has no pledges other than constitutional revision," he criticized.

He continued, "If unification is to occur, it should first be after joining the party and going through a legitimate primary process. For an independent candidate who is not even a party member to oust a properly nominated party candidate and try to become the presidential candidate is, in itself, an undemocratic outrage that disregards the party's decision-making process," he emphasized.

Governor Kim stated, "The way independent Han Deoksoo is pursuing unification is an act of party destruction that ignores democratic procedures and the party itself. It is a candidate replacement coup similar to the 12·3 Martial Law."

He also added, "Looking at the unilateral public opinion survey method of the People Power Party, it is an undemocratic and coercive measure where there is neither proper dialogue nor agreement between the candidates. Such a coercive unification process is uninspiring and offers no expectation of any synergistic effect."